BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

* * * * continued from p. 4 * * * * The same principle applies in our lives spiritually. If we’re going to go for the gold in the kingdom of God, we must all answer some questions, too. Each of us must decide for ourselves: What am I going to do with The WORD of God? How far am I going to go with my faith? “Yeah, but Brother Copeland, I’ll never go as far as you because you’re a preacher. God gave you more faith than me.” No, He didn’t. He dealt to all of us the same measure of faith the moment we were born again. (See Romans 12:3.) The development of that faith depends on our own personal choices. But there’s no such thing as preacher faith, or somebody getting an extra measure. We all start out with the same faith, and we know it will work because it’s the faith of The LORD Jesus Christ! Faith’s Author and Developer Hebrews 12:2 calls Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith.” He is its Source and its Developer. Many believers, however, don’t give Him the opportunity to complete His work. They receive Him as their Savior, but they don’t receive Him as their LORD. They get the measure of His faith, but then they just go about their own way. Jesus can’t develop something you haven’t placed into His hands. He can’t finish something you’re not paying any attention to. If you want to walk by faith in the fullness of His marvelous will for your life, you must make the decision to yield to His Lordship. You must put Him first place in your life, make His WORD your final authority, and endeavor 100% of the time to do everything He says. When you do that, you’ll be amazed at what Jesus can and will do with you. He’ll open your eyes to truths in God’s WORD and develop your faith in ways that affect every area of your life. Take, for example, how He developed my faith some time back where longevity is concerned. Reminding me that Genesis 6:3 says man’s “days shall be an hundred and twenty years,” He took me through the Scriptures and showed me that life span is the only scriptural standard. Except for the 70- or 80-year limit set on the Israelites in the wilderness as a result of their disobedience, there’s no other age limit mentioned in the Bible. Every time it refers to long life, it’s talking about 120 years. The LORD didn’t command me to set my faith to live that long. He just asked me the question: 'Will you do this for Me?' And I said, “Yes, I will.” Talk about going back into training! I soon began to realize: There’s a price to this! I can’t get away with carrying around 30 or 40 extra pounds, and still make it to 120. I have to stay in top shape. I didn’t like exercise when I was 23, and I can tell you, at 83 it isn’t any easier. But God had laid it on my heart to go for the gold for His glory. So, I made the decision. I got on my knees before The LORD and said, “Sir, I am Yours to command. In the Name of Jesus, I commit myself from this time forward to do whatever it takes to be in the best spiritual, mental and physical condition I can be.” The commitment, of course, was just the beginning of the process. Once it was made, I had to walk in it—and my flesh protested strongly. “I don’t want to do this!” it squalled. “These workouts are hard on me. Can’t we just skip them?” You know what that’s like! You have flesh just like I do, and it can really get on you when it gets uncomfortable. When it does, Jesus will meet you, and you’ll be able to “bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27). But you’ll have to do it by faith. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world, and everything in it—including our flesh and the devil himself. That’s why our Faith Developer has been reminding us lately that we must stay strong in the fundamentals. It’s why time and again, He takes us back to Mark 11 and reminds us that He said: “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (verses 22-24). 6 : BVOV

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